General Designation Criteria

The basic concept for using the system is to designate Snohomish County's shorelines into environment categories that reflect the natural character of the shoreline areas and the goals and general development policies for use of characteristically different shorelines. The determination as to which designation should be given any specific area in the county should be made in the following manner:

  1. The resources of the shoreline areas should be analyzed for their opportunities and limitations for different uses. Completion of the comprehensive inventory of resources is a requisite to identifying resource attributes which determine these opportunities and limitations.
  2. Each of the plan elements should be analyzed for their effect on the various resources throughout the county's shoreline areas. Since shorelines are only a part of the system of resources within Snohomish County's jurisdiction, it is particularly important that planning for shorelines be considered an integral part of area wide planning. Further, plans, policies and regulations for lands adjacent to the shorelines of the state should be reviewed in accordance with RCW 90.58.340.
  3. Public desires should be considered through the citizen involvement process to determine which environment designations reflect local values and aspirations for the development of different shoreline areas within Snohomish County.

Management Objectives & Features

The management objectives and features which characterize each of the environments are given in the following sections to provide a basis for environment designation and management within Snohomish County. Each environment category includes several elements including:

  • A statement of intent which attempts to describe the basic function and purpose of the particular environment category.
  • Designation criteria which define the development, uses and/or features, and resources which characterize each environment.
  • Management policies which are designed to regulate use and development consistent with the character of each environment.